Content distribution system, content distribution method, and client terminal

ABSTRACT

The user of any one portable terminal sends a content information request including a user ID to a distribution server. In response, the distribution server distributes a stream data of content that can be used on the user&#39;s terminal. If the user of a first portable terminal intends to let a second portable terminal try out a certain content, the user sends to the distribution server the trial permission information including the user&#39;s own user ID, a content ID of the content of interest, and a digital signature. The distribution server authenticates the received information before distributing a streaming data of a trial-oriented content with the content ID and user ID attached to it as search keys. This allows the content that can be used on a given user terminal to be tried out on another user terminal without the latter user having recourse to the steps of searching for the content in question.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to a content distributionsystem, a content distribution method, and a client terminal wherebycontents such as music and motion pictures are distributed as a streamover a network. More particularly, the present invention relates to acontent distribution system, a content distribution method, and a clientterminal whereby contents that can be used on a given user terminal maybe recommended to a user of another client terminal.

Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a contentdistribution system, a content distribution method, and a clientterminal whereby contents that can be used on the client terminal of agiven user may be tried out on another user terminal without the latteruser having recourse to the steps for searching the contents. Still moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a content distributionsystem, a content distribution method, and a client terminal wherebycontents that can be used on the client terminal of a given user may betried out on another client terminal while the copyrights of thecontents in question are suitably protected.

BACKGROUND ART

Today, along with dramatic improvements in information processing andtelecommunication technologies, demands for network computing techniquesfor interconnecting computers have been growing simultaneously. Thesestate-of-the-art technologies allow users in remote areas to sharecomputer resources or cooperate smoothly in such work as the sharing,distribution, delivery, and exchanges of information over networks.

There are diverse forms of networks for interconnecting computers.Examples of networks include LANs (local area networks) such as theEthernet set up to cover limited areas; WANs (wide area networks) eachinterconnecting LANs using dedicated lines or the like; and the Internetthat has grown so large as to interconnect computers on worldwide scale.

The Internet is a globally expanded computer network known as theNetwork of networks. It started out as a mass of interconnections byservers (mainly UNIX workstations) installed at universities, researchinstitutions and other establishments. Since then more and more serversinterconnected with one another, growing eventually into today'scolossal network comprising countless servers each disclosing diverseresource objects to countless clients. The servers, known as hosts onthe Internet, are usually interconnected as per TCP/IP (TransmissionControl Protocol/Internet Protocol).

Over the Internet, numerous services are offered including WWW (WorldWide Web), News, TELNET (TELetypewriter NETwork) FTP (File TransferProtocol), and Gopher.

Of these services, the WWW works as a global information search systemproviding information spaces in hyperlink structures. The service isdeemed the biggest factor that has driven the explosive growth and rapidpopularization of the Internet worldwide. As an information searchsystem serving on a global basis, the WWW permits browsing of diversemedia including texts, images and sounds in hypertext format. So-calledhypertext information handled on the WWW is described in a hypertextformat description language known as HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language).At present, countless HTML documents (i.e., information resources) aredisclosed on a chargeable basis or free of charge over the Internet. Itis common knowledge that under TCP/IP, various information resourcesincluding the HTML documents are identified using identifiers in URL(Uniform Resource Locator) form and transferred as per HTTP (Hyper TextTransfer Protocol).

In recent years, high-speed Internet connections over telephone lines(Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, or ADSL) and cable TV networks havegained widespread use. The trend has raised expectations for videocontent distribution services involving motion pictures such as movies,animations, and live broadcasts.

Such content distribution services may be typically implemented by meansof so-called streaming technology. The technology coming gradually intogeneral use today is designed to allow audio and video data or the liketo be reproduced just as they are being downloaded over the Internet,not waiting for the whole data files to be downloaded preparatory toreproduction. The streaming technology is regarded as the key tonext-generation Internet usages. Well-known content distribution systemsincorporating the streaming technology include “RealSystem G2” and“Windows Media Technologies.”

There has been proposed a content distribution system wherein a servermanages a database covering users authorized to access stored contentsso that only the authorized users may receive a stream of the contents.

Another content distribution system has been proposed involvesdistributing encrypted content data free of charge while access rightinformation specifying the conditions for using the encrypted contentsis separately distributed by a server. That is, the system distributescontents while protecting their copyrights with suitable techniques. Inresponse to a request from a client, a right management serverdistributes access right information bound for the client or its user.The access right information, to be used eventually for billingpurposes, includes a user ID or a client ID together with authenticationinformation such as a digital signature of the right management server.The client authenticates the use conditions included in the access rightinformation and, depending on the result of the authentication, decryptsand reproduces encrypted contents using an encryption key sent to theclient beforehand or along with the information.

Such content distribution systems as described above allow users tosearch for and purchase-desired contents from server databases throughon-line accounting settling means such as electronic settlements. Aftercompleting the legitimate steps of content purchase, the users canaccess the contents through the client terminals.

Also proposed is a content distribution system whereby contents withtheir quality reduced in part or as a whole are offered to users on atrial basis subjecting to confirmation of the details of content beforepurchase. However one disadvantage of this system is that the users mustput up with the trouble of searching for desired contents through thelarge quantities of contents held in databases.

For instance, in the case where one user recommends certain content toanother user, another user must search anew for the content in questionusing an appropriate name or keyword. The content that one user may wishto recommend cannot be explained adequately to any other user unless itis actually reproduced. The elaborative steps involved for contentreproduction tend to discourage users from recommending any content toother users under such a system.

There is also the problem of recognition—or the lack of it—in marketingcertain contents. Some contents lead brisk business because they areadvertised extensively or their authors are well known; other contentsbarely get the chance to be sold or even recognized because they areburied in huge quantities of themselves.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a contentdistribution system, a content distribution method, and a clientterminal whereby:

-   -   Contents available on the client terminal of a given user may be        recommended to a user of another terminal; and    -   contents that is available on a given user terminal may be tried        out on another user terminal without the latter user having        recourse to the steps for searching the contents; and    -   contents that is available on a given user terminal may be tried        out on another user terminal while the copyrights of the        contents in question are suitably protected.

In carrying out the present invention and according to a first aspectthereof, there is provided a content distribution system fordistributing contents over a network, comprising: a distribution serverfor giving permission to use contents; and a plurality of clientterminals for reproducing distributed contents; wherein any one of theclient terminals, in possession of content trial permission informationfor permitting the client terminal in question to use contents, offersthe information to another client terminal, any one of the clientterminals further receiving the content trial permission informationfrom another client terminal so as to reproduce the contentscorresponding to the received information; and wherein the distributionserver permits the use of contents in response to a request for thecontents from any one of the client terminals.

It should be noted here that the term “system” represents a logicalassemblage of multiple devices (or functional modules for implementingspecific functions). It does not matter whether the component devices orthe functional modules are out together in a single chassis.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provideda client terminal for reproducing contents of which the use is permittedby a distribution server; wherein the client terminal offers anotherclient terminal content trial permission information about contents ofwhich the use is permitted on the first client terminal, the clientterminal further reproducing contents based on the content trialpermission information offered by another client terminal.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provideda content distribution method for distributing contents over a networkconsists of a distribution server for giving permission to use contentsand by a plurality of client terminals for reproducing contents, thecontent distribution method comprising the steps of: causing thedistribution server to permit the use of contents in response to arequest for the contents from any one of the client terminals; allowingany one of the clients, in possession of content trial permissioninformation for permitting the client terminal in question to usecontents, to offer the information to another client terminal; andallowing any one of the client terminals, upon receipt of the contenttrial permission information from another client terminal, to reproducethe contents corresponding to the received information.

The distribution server manages the contents whose usage is permitted inregard to the user IDs of individual client terminals. In response to acontent information request including a user ID from a client terminal,the distribution server returns a content information list specifyingthe contents of which the use is permitted for the user ID in question.

When a particular content is selected from the content information liston the client terminal, the distribution server distributes a stream ofthe selected content to that client terminal.

Any one client terminal may send to another client terminal contenttrial permission information including the sending terminal's user IDand the ID of the content whose use is desired to be permitted on atrial basis. The client terminal upon receipt of the trial permissioninformation, sends a content request including the trial permissioninformation to the distribution server.

In response to the content request including the trial permissioninformation, the distribution server returns a content information listspecifying the contents whose usage is permitted in regard to the userID contained in the received information. When a content trial commandincluding the trial permission information is issued by the clientterminal, the distribution server responds to it by distributing astream of the content of which the trial is permitted by the authorizeduser. Thus any user can try out the content recommended by another userby following simple steps.

As outlined, the inventive scheme allows contents that may be used by agiven client terminal to be readily tried out by another client terminalupon recommendation.

The distribution server responds to the request from any client terminalonly after completing an authentication process based on digitalsignatures. Content trial permission information is sent from one clientterminal to another following personal authentication steps on the basisof personal authentication information held by each client terminal.These measures are designed to allow the contents usable on one clientterminal to be tried out on another client terminal while the copyrightsof the contents in question are being protected.

Each client terminal may preferably include: a portable authenticationmedium that retains personal authentication information about theterminal for facilitating the procedure of personal authentication; apersonal authentication information sending method for sending thepersonal authentication information on the portable authenticationmedium; a personal authentication information receiving method forreceiving personal authentication information from a second clientterminal; and a personal authentication method for identifying a user ofthe second client terminal based on the received personal authenticationinformation.

The distribution server may preferably allow the client terminal inpossession of the content trial permission information to purchase thecontent corresponding to the information. The content being tried outupon recommendation from another user can thus be purchased simply byuse of the received content trial permission information; there is noneed to go through the elaborative steps of searching for and buying thecontent in question. This inventive scheme offers content providers moreopportunities to deliver or distribute their contents in addition tomarketing content-carrying media and offering content distributionservices at websites. The contents can thus be marketed efficiently byword of mouth among friends and acquaintances.

An electronic settlement server may be established on the network tohandle billing regarding the client terminals that have receivedcontents from the distribution server. The setup facilitates theprocessing of content trial permissions exchanged between clientterminals followed by purchases of recommended contents. The electronicsettlement server may preferably utilize electronic money in dealingwith billing of each client terminal. Alternatively, the electronicsettlement server may have respective numbers of credit card, cash card,and/or debit card registered as part of user information relate to theclient terminals involved, the information being shared with financialinstitutions in handling credit or debit card settlements.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome more apparent in the following specification and accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a network structure of a streamingdistribution system 1 embodying the present invention:

FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting a typical structure of a portableterminal 10 acting as a content receiving client of the streamingdistribution system 1 according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating another typical structure of theportable terminal 10 acting as a content receiving client of thestreaming distribution system 1 according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram giving another typical structure of theportable terminal 10 acting as a content receiving client of thestreaming distribution system 1 according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic flow diagram showing how the portable terminal ofFIG. 2 works, the diagram indicating more detailed steps performed by auser to receive a usable content from a distribution server 60 and toreproduce the received content on the portable terminal;

FIG. 6 is another schematic flow diagram depicting how the portableterminal of FIG. 2 works, the diagram illustrating more detailed stepsperformed by a first user to permit a second user to try out a givencontent usable by the first user;

FIG. 7 is another schematic flow diagram outlining how the portableterminals of FIG. 3 work, the diagram showing more detailed stepsperformed by the first user to designate the second user who is asked totry out a given content usable by the first user;

FIG. 8 is another schematic flow diagram indicating how the portableterminals of FIG. 3 work, the diagram depicting more detailed stepsperformed by the user of a portable terminal A to permit the user of aportable terminal B to try out a given content usable on the terminal A,as well as steps carried out by the user of the portable terminal B torequest the trial of the content from the distribution server 60 uponreceipt of trial permission information from the portable terminal A,before the content thus tried out is purchased by the user of theterminal B from the server; and

FIG. 9 is another schematic flow diagram depicting how the portableterminals of FIG. 4 work, the diagram showing more detailed stepsperformed by the user of the portable terminal A to permit the user ofthe portable terminal B to try out a given content usable on theterminal A, as well as steps carried out by the user of the portableterminal B to request the trial of the content from the distributionserver 60 upon receipt of trial permission information from the portableterminal A, before the content thus tried out is purchased by the userof the terminal B from the server.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE PRESENT INVENTION

FIG. 1 schematically shows a network structure of a streamingdistribution system 1 embodying the present invention. As shown in FIG.1, there exist over the network countless portable terminals 10-1, 10-2,. . . , 10-n each owned by a user. The portable terminal 10 isillustratively a notebook computer, a PDA (personal digital assistant),or a portable telephone.

The network consists of a wide area network such as the Internet 20, amobile communication network 30 connected with the Internet 20, and apublic telephone network such as PSTN (Public Switched TelephoneNetwork; not shown) or ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network; notshown).

As is well known, countless servers including content servers 40 thatoffer contents are set up on the Internet 20. These servers offercontent distribution and other services to the portable terminals 10-1,etc., connected to the network.

The portable terminals 10-1, 10-2, etc., are connected to the Internet20 under IP (Internet Protocol) illustratively through Internet serviceproviders (known as ISPs; not shown). The portable terminals 10-3, 10-4,etc., are networked by nearby cell stations 31-1, 3-2, etc., establishedby the mobile communication network 30.

In addition to the content server 40 storing and offering contents, theInternet has registration server 50, distribution server 60, andelectronic settlement server 70 established thereon. The registrationserver 50 registers and manages the contents offered over the network.The distribution server 60 provides a content distribution service overthe Internet 20 or via the mobile communication network 30. Theelectronic settlement server 70 bills users for the contents (i.e.,service fees) offered illustratively by a streaming distributionservice.

The distribution server 60 is connected to the content server 40 andelectronic settlement server 70.

The content server 40 has a content database Mot shown) that includesstreaming data as contents, content information (including content IDs,their names, fees and explanations), and authorized user IDs.

The electronic settlement server 70 is furnished with an accountingsettlement database (not shown) that stores transactions of electronicsettlements regarding content purchases. Illustratively, the electronicsettlement server 70 may handle billings of each client terminal bymeans of electronic money. Alternatively, the electronic settlementserver 70 may have respective numbers of credit card, cash card, and/ordebit card registered as part of user information about the users ofindividual client terminals. The settlement server 70 may then cooperatewith other financial institutions (not shown) in dealing with credit ordebit card settlements.

The distribution server 60 receives a streaming data request signalincluding both content and a user IDs from any of the portable terminals10-1, etc. Upon receipt of the signal, the distribution server 60searches the content server 40 for the requested content and verifiesthat the user in question is authorized to use the content, beforesending the applicable streaming data to the requesting portableterminal.

The distribution server 60 also receives a content information requestsignal including content search conditions from any of the portableterminals 10-1, etc. On receiving the signal, the distributions server60 retrieves content information about the content corresponding to thecontent search conditions from the content server 40, and sends theretrieved information to the requesting portable terminal.

The distribution server 60 also receives a content purchase requestsignal including both content and a user IDs from any of the portableterminals 10-1, etc. Upon receipt of the signal, the distribution server60 adds the user ID included in the purchase request signal to a tablethat stores specifics of the users authorized to use the content inquestion, and subsequently, electronic settlement server 70 startsproceeding.

In the example of FIG. 1, the distribution server 60 is also connectedto a satellite station 61. This setup allows the distribution server 60to distribute contents to portable terminals 10-n-1 and 10-n usingsatellite radio waves through a communication satellite 62. In thiscase, the electronic settlement server 70 charges the users of portableterminals 10 for content fees as same as that in the network-basedcontent distribution setup. Extra fees may be charged users of thecommunication satellite 62.

The registration server 50 is connected with the content server 40. Overthe Internet 20, the registration server 50 is further connected withcontent upload clients, i.e., portable terminals 10 that upload contentsto the content server 40.

The portable terminals 10-1, etc., (i.e., content upload clients) eachstores content files created by the client user. A content file includesaudio data, motion picture data, and content information. Each contentupload client is connected to the registration server 50 via a networksuch as the Internet 20. When a content file is uploaded from a contentupload client to the registration server 50, the registration server 50verifies that the format of the content file complies with the contentserver 40, before encoding the audio data and motion picture data in thereceived content file for streaming distribution. The registrationserver 50 then stores the encoded streaming data and content informationinto the content database of the content server 40 connected with theregistration server 50.

First Embodiment

FIG. 2 depicts a typical structure of the portable terminal 10 acting asa content receiving client of the streaming distribution system 1embodying the present invention. The portable terminal 10 in FIG. 2 isincluding a body of a portable terminal 10 that acts primarily toreceive contents, and an IC card 11 for retaining authenticationinformation.

The entire performance of the portable terminal 10 is controlled by acontrol unit 101. The control unit 101 includes a RAM (random accessmemory) 102 and a ROM (read only memory) 103. The RAM 102 may serve asan area in which to retain loaded programs and work data. The RAM 103permanently stores program codes and other data. The control unit 101 isconnected to various functional units shown in the figure, in order tocontrol these units.

A display control unit 104 is connected to a display unit 105,controlling driving of displays on the display unit 105.

An operation detection unit 106 is connected to an operation panel 107.As such, the detection unit 106 detects input operations performed bythe user on the operation panel 107. The display unit 105 and operationpanel 107 configure the user interface of the portable terminal 10.

A network connection unit 108 is connected to an external network suchas the Internet 20 as per suitable communication protocols. The networkconnection unit 108 permits communication with the distribution server60 over the network.

A streaming data reception unit 109 receives streaming data from thedistribution server 60 through the network connection unit 108. Abuffering unit 110 temporarily buffers the streaming data beingreceived. A decoding unit 111 decodes the encoded streaming data. Thedecoded data are converted to an analog signal in the D/A conversionunit 112 for audio output from an audio output unit 113 such as aspeaker.

A content information management unit 114 generates a contentinformation request signal and sends the generated signal to thedistribution server 60 through the network connection unit 108. Themanagement unit 114 receives content information via the networkconnection unit 108 and stores the received information into a contentinformation storage unit 115. The unit 115 holds at least one recordhaving fields including a content ID, a content name, explanation of thecontent, and a flag indicating whether the content has been purchased oris intended for trial.

An IC card connection unit 116 is designed to be connected with aconnector 202 of the IC card 11. The IC card 11 includes a control unit201 for controlling operations within the card, and a personalauthentication information storage unit 203 that store personalauthentication information including the owner's user ID. The personalauthentication information held in the personal authenticationinformation storage unit 203 is sent to a personal authentication unit117 on the portable terminal 10 through the connector 202 and IC cardconnection unit 116. When the user is authenticated by the personalauthentication unit 117, the user ID of that user is placed into a userID storage unit 118.

An inter-terminal connection unit 119 may be connected to anotherportable terminal 10 (not shown) by wired or wireless communicationmeans for data communication with the connected terminal.Illustratively, the inter-terminal communication unit 119 establishes aterminal-to-terminal connection using such short-distance wirelesscommunication means as IEEE802.11, Bluetooth, or infrared communication(IrDA) arrangements.

A digital signature generation unit 120 generates a digital signature tobe attached to data, through the use of an encryption key stored in anencryption key storage unit 121.

A trial permission information sending control unit 122 sends trialpermission information to another portable terminal through theinter-terminal communication unit 119. The trial permission informationincludes a content ID (held in the content information storage unit) ofthe content whose usage is permitted for another specific user, and theuser ID stored in the user ID storage unit 118. A digital signaturegenerated by the digital signature generation unit 120 is attached tothe trial permission information.

A trial permission information reception control unit 123 receives trialpermission information sent from another portable terminal 10 throughthe inter-terminal communication unit 119.

A streaming data request signal generation unit 125 generates astreaming data request signal for requesting a certain content desiredto be reproduced on this portable terminal 10. The generated signal issent to the distribution server 60 through the network connection unit108. The streaming data request signal is furnished with a digitalsignature generated in the digital signature generation unit 120, andthe signature including either a content ID held in the contentinformation storage unit 115, or the trial permission information anduser ID received from another terminal.

A content purchase request signal generation unit 126 generates arequest for the purchase of content for trial and sends the generatedrequest in signal form to the distribution server 60 through the networkconnection unit 108. The content purchase request signal includes theuser ID and the trial permission information received from anotherportable terminal.

The function of portable terminal 10 shown in FIG. 2 will now bedescribed. Personal authentication by use of the IC card 11 is carriedout as follows: the user inserts the IC card 11 into a card slot (notshown) of the portable terminal 10. When the IC card connection unit 116detects a connection (of either contact or non-contact nature) betweenthe portable terminal 10 and the IC card 11, the personal authenticationinformation held in the personal authentication information storage unit203 of the IC card 11 is sent to the personal authentication unit 117 ofthe portable terminal 10 through the connector 202 and IC cardconnection unit 116. After authenticating the personal authenticationinformation, the personal authentication unit 117 stores into the userID storage unit 118 the user ID contained in the personal authenticationinformation.

Described below with reference to FIG. 5 are the steps to be performedby the user operating his or her personal terminal to receive a usable(i.e., purchased) content from the distribution server 60 and toreproduce the received content.

The user operates the operation panel 107 on the portable terminal A. Inso doing, the user can select a content information acquisition commandfrom a menu displayed on the display unit 105.

In response to the menu selection operation, the digital signaturegeneration unit 120 generates a digital signature including the user IDheld in the user ID storage unit 118. The content information managementunit 114 generates a content information request signal to which thedigital signature thus generated is attached, and sends the digitalsignature to the distribution server 60 through the network connectionunit 108.

The distribution server 60 authenticates the digital signature attachedto the content information request signal and, using the user ID in thecontent information request signal as a search key, searches the contentdatabase (not shown) of the content server 40 for the contents that areusable by the user of the portable terminal A. The distribution server60 prepares a content information list enumerating the contents usableby the user in question, and returns the content information list to theportable terminal A over the network.

Upon receipt of the content information list on the portable terminal Athrough the network connection unit 108, the content informationmanagement unit 114 stores the received content information list intothe content information storage unit 115. At the same time, the displaycontrol unit 104 commands the display unit 105 to display the receivedcontent information list.

The user views the content information list on the display unit 105 mayselect a desired content from among those listed content information byoperating the operation panel 107.

In response to the selecting operation conducted by the user, thedigital signature generation unit 120 generates a digital signatureincluding a content ID (held in the content information storage unit115) of the selected content and the user ID (stored in the user IDstorage unit 118). The streaming data request signal generation unit 125generates a streaming data request signal to which the digital signaturethus generated is attached, and sends the request signal to thedistribution server 60 through the network connection unit 108.

Upon receiving the streaming data request signal, the distributionserver 60 authenticates the digital signature attached to the requestsignal, and start searching the content database (not shown) of thecontent server 40 for the content requested from the portable terminal Aby using the content ID and user ID in the request signal as searchkeys. The distribution server 60 then distributes streaming data of therequested content to the requesting portable terminal A.

On the portable terminal A, the streaming data reception control unit109 receives the streaming data through the network connection unit 108.The streaming data thus received are buffered by the buffering unit 110at least for a predetermined number of bytes before being forwarded tothe decoding unit 111. After decoded by the decoding unit 111, thestreaming data are converted to an analog signal by the D/A conversionunit 112. The analog signal is then sent to the audio output unit 113and/or the display unit 105 for external output (real-timereproduction).

Described below with reference to FIG. 6 are the steps performed on theportable terminal A to permit the portable terminal B to try out certaincontent usable on the portable terminal A. It is assumed that theportable terminals A and B each consist of the structure as same as thatin FIG. 2.

The user of the portable terminal A initially establishes aterminal-to-terminal connection with the portable terminal B through theinter-terminal connection unit 119, the terminal B being owned by theuser for whom the for-trial content is intended.

The user of the portable terminal A then selects the content in questionfrom a content information list displayed on the display unit 105, andenters a trial permission command. In response to the input command, thedigital signature generation unit 120 generates a digital signatureincluding a content ID (held in the content information storage unit115) of the selected content and the user ID (stored in the user IDstorage unit 118). The trial permission information sending control unit122 prepares trial permission information to which the digital signaturethus generated is attached, and sends the information to the portableterminal B through the inter-terminal connection unit 119.

Upon receipt of the trial permission information from the portableterminal A, the portable terminal B can proceed with reproducing theapplicable content.

More specifically, the trial permission information reception controlunit 123 in the portable terminal B receives the trial permissioninformation from the portable terminal A through the inter-terminalconnection unit 119. The received trial permission information is heldtemporarily in the trial permission information storage unit 124.

Through a menu displayed on the display unit 105, the user may operatethe operation panel 107 to select a content information acquisitioncommand for acquiring the trial-permitted content.

In response to the selecting operation conducted by the user, thedigital signature generation unit 120 generates a digital signatureincluding both the trial permission information held in the trialpermission information storage unit 124 and the user ID stored in theuser ID storage unit 118. The content information management unit 114generates a content information request signal to which the digitalsignature thus generated is attached, and sends the request signal tothe distribution server 60 through the network connection unit 108.

On receiving the content information request signal containing the trialpermission information from the portable terminal B, the distributionserver 60 authenticates the digital signature attached to the requestsignal as well as the digital signature in the trial permissioninformation included in the request signal. After the authentication,the distribution server 60 searches the content database (not shown) ofthe content server 40 for the information about the content permittedfor trial and returns the retrieved information in question to therequesting portable terminal B over the network.

On the portable terminal B, the content information management unit 114receives the retrieved content information for trial through the networkconnection unit 108. The received content information is stored in thecontent information storage unit 115. This content information for trialplaced into the content information storage unit 115 includes a flagindicating that the content in question is intended for trial.

The display control unit 104 then causes the display unit 105 to displayinformation of the trial-permitted content. Through a menu displayed onthe display unit 105, the user may operate the operation panel 107 toselect a trial command.

In response to the selecting operation conducted by the user, thedigital signature generation unit 120 generates a digital signatureincluding both the trial permission information held in the trialpermission information storage unit 124 and the user ID stored in theuser ID storage unit 118. The streaming data request signal generationunit 125 generates a streaming data request signal containing thedigital signature thus generated and sends the request signal to thedistribution server 60 through the network connection unit 108.

Upon receipt of the streaming data request signal from the portableterminal B, the distribution server 60 authenticates the digitalsignature included in the received request signal as well as the digitalsignature contained in the trial permission information in the requestsignal. After the authentication, the distribution server 60 searchesthe content database (not shown) of the content server 40 for thecontent requested by the portable terminal B, using the user ID andcontent ID in the trial permission information as search keys. Thedistribution server 60 then sends streaming data constituting therequested content to the requesting portable terminal B. Upon receipt ofthe streaming data of the content for trial, the portable terminal Breproduces the content in the same manner as usual contents.

It should be noted that the streaming data distribution is not conductedby the same trial permission information more than one time, i.e., onetrial permission allows the applicable content to be tried out onlyonce.

After trying out the content recommended by the user of the portableterminal A, the user of the portable terminal B may decide to purchasethe content. The steps involved for the purchase are as follows:

Through a menu displayed on the display unit 105, the user of theportable terminal B may operate the operation panel 107 to select acommand to purchase the tried-out content.

In response to the selecting operation conducted by the user, thedigital signature generation unit generates a digital signatureincluding both the trial permission information held in the trialpermission information storage unit 124 and the user ID stored in theuser ID storage unit 118. The content purchase request signal generationunit 126 generates a content purchase request signal to which thedigital signature thus generated is attached, and sends the requestsignal to the distribution server 60 through the network connection unit108.

Upon receipt of the content purchase request signal, the distributionserver 60 authenticates the digital signature. Then based on the user IDin the content purchase request signal and on the content ID in thetrial permission signal, the distribution server 60 adds a record of theuser in question to the content server 40 as a user authenticated to usethe content of interest.

The distribution server 60 proceeds to acquire relevant contentinformation (billing information, etc.) from the content database (notshown) of the content server 40, and sends transaction informationcontaining the user ID and the content information to the electronicsettlement server 70.

In keeping with the received transaction information, the electronicsettlement server 70 handles billing including updates of an accountingsettlement database, not shown. The electronic settlement server 70 isfurnished with the accounting settlement database that stores electronicsettlement transactions regarding content purchases, and settles thebillings of individual client terminals by means of illustrativelyelectronic money. Alternatively, the electronic settlement server 70 mayhave respective numbers of credit card, cash card, and/or debit cardregistered as part of information about the users of individual clientterminals. The settlement server 70 may then cooperate with otherfinancial institutions (not shown) in dealing with credit or debit cardsettlements.

After the billing process is completed by the electronic settlementserver 70, the distribution server 60 returns a content purchaseacknowledge signal to the requesting portable terminal B. On theportable terminal B, a content purchase confirmation may be displayed onthe display unit 105.

With the content purchase process completed, the content in question isallowed to be used on the portable terminal B. Specifically, the user ofthe portable terminal B may request the applicable streaming data to thedistribution server 60 for real-time content reproduction by followingthe steps described above with reference to FIG. 5.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 3 illustrates another typical structure of the portable terminal 10acting as a content receiving client of the streaming distributionsystem 1 according to the present invention. The portable terminal 10shown in FIG. 3 is including a frame of portable terminal 10 that actsprimarily to reproduce streaming data, by an IC card 11 for retainingauthentication information, and a portable communication terminal 12 forcommunicating with the distribution server over the network. Thecomponents 10, 11 and 12 are interconnected wirelessly by wirelesscommunication units 306, 408 and 502.

The portable communication terminal 12 comprises a telephone feature,not shown. A network connection unit 301 is connected to a network suchas the Internet 20 for communication with the distribution server 60over the network. Under overall control of a control unit 302, theportable communication terminal 12 mediates data exchanges between thewireless communication unit 306 and the network connection unit 301. Thecontrol unit 302 has a RAM 303 that may be used as a work area and a ROM304 that permanently stores program codes and other data. A personalauthentication unit 305 carries out a predetermined authenticationprocess based on personal authentication information retrieved from theIC card 11 via the wireless communication unit 306.

The entire performance of portable terminal 10 is controlled by acontrol unit 401. The control unit 401 includes a RAM (random accessmemory) 402 and a ROM (read only memory) 403. The RAM 402 may serve asan area in which to retain loaded programs and work data. The ROM 403permanently stores program codes and other specific data. The controlunit 401 is connected to various functional units shown in the figure,in order to control these units.

A display control unit 404 is connected to a display unit 405. Thecontrol unit 404 controls driving of displays on the display unit 405.

An operation detection unit 406 is connected to an operation panel 407.As such, the detection unit 406 detects input operations performed bythe user on the operation panel 407. The user interface of the portableterminal 10 consists of display unit 405 and operation panel 407constitute.

A streaming data reception unit 409 receives streaming data from thedistribution server 60 through the portable communication terminal 12. Abuffering unit 410 temporarily buffers the streaming data beingreceived. A decoding unit 411 decodes the encoded streaming data. Thedecoded data are displayed as motion pictures on the display unit 405under display drive control of the display control unit 404.

A content information management unit 412 sends a content informationrequest signal to the distribution server 60 through the portablecommunication terminal 12. The management unit 412 then receives contentinformation via the portable communication terminal 12 and stores thereceived information into a content information storage unit 413.

The content information storage unit 413 holds at least one record withfields including a content ID, a content name, explanation of thecontent, and a flag indicating whether the content has been purchased oris intended for trial.

A wireless communication unit 408 performs non-contact datacommunication with the portable communication terminal 12 and IC card11. In addition, the wireless communication unit 408 can establish aterminal-to-terminal connection with another portable terminal by meansof such short-distance wireless communication means as IEEE802.11,Bluetooth, or infrared communication (IrDA) arrangements.

A personal authentication unit 414 receives through the wirelesscommunication unit 408 personal authentication information held in apersonal authentication information storage unit 501 of the IC card 11,and authenticates the received information. After the authentication,the personal authentication unit 414 stores into a user ID storage unit415 the user ID included in the personal authentication information.

A digital signature generation unit 416 generates a digital signature tobe attached to data, by means of an encryption key stored in anencryption key storage unit 424.

A trial-permitted user management unit 417 manages user information(e.g., users IDs and/or names) about the users permitted to try outcontents, the information being stored in a trial-permitted user storageunit 418.

A trial permission information sending control unit 419 sends trialpermission information for permitting content trial to another portableterminal through the wireless communication unit 408. The trialpermission information contains a user ID stored in the user ID storageunit 415. A digital signature generated by the digital signaturegeneration unit 416 is attached to the trial permission information.

A trial permission information reception control unit 420 receivesthrough the wireless communication unit 408 trial permission informationsent from another user's portable terminal.

A streaming data request signal generation unit 422 generates a signalfor requesting streaming data including the content desired to bereproduced on this portable terminal 10, and sends the generated signalto the distribution server 60 through the portable communicationterminal 11. The streaming data request signal includes both the contentID held in the content information storage unit 413 and the user IDstored in the user ID storage unit 415. A digital signature generated bythe digital signature generation unit 416 is attached to the streamingdata request signal.

A content purchase request signal generation unit 423 generates arequest for the purchase of content to be tried out, and sends thegenerated request in signal form to the distribution server 60 throughthe wireless communication unit 408 and portable communication terminal12. The content purchase request signal includes the user ID and thetrial permission information received from another portable terminal.

The performance of portable terminal shown in FIG. 3 will now bedescribed. Personal authentication by use of the IC card 11 is carriedout as follows: the IC card 11, portable terminal 10, and portablecommunication terminal 12 are first positioned respectively within thearea small enough for wireless communications to take place among them.When a connection is established among the IC card 11, portable terminal10, and portable communication terminal 12, the personal authenticationinformation held in the personal authentication information storage unit501 of the IC card 11 is sent to the personal authentication unit 414 ofthe portable terminal 10 as well as to the personal authentication unit305 of the portable communication terminal 12 through the wirelesscommunication units 502, 306 and 408. After authenticating the receivedpersonal authentication information, the personal authentication unit414 stores into the user ID storage unit 415 the user ID contained inthe personal authentication information. When the connection between theportable terminal 10 and the IC card 11 is disconnected, the personalauthentication unit 414 deletes the user ID from the user ID storageunit 415.

Subsequently, the following is steps of procedure performed by the useroperating his or her personal terminal 10 to receive a usable (i.e.,purchased) content from the distribution server 60 and to reproduce thereceived content. The steps involved are similar to those outlined inthe schematic flow diagram of FIG. 5.

The user operates the operation panel 407 on the portable terminal A. Bydoing so, the user can select a content information acquisition commandfrom a menu displayed on the display unit 405.

In response to the menu selection operation, the digital signaturegeneration unit 416 generates a digital signature including the user IDheld in the user ID storage unit 415. The content information managementunit 412 generates a content information request signal to which thedigital signature thus generated is attached, and sends the digitalsignature to the distribution server 60 through the portablecommunication terminal 11.

The distribution server 60 authenticates the digital signature attachedto the content information request signal and, using the user ID in thecontent information request signal as a search key, searches the contentdatabase of the content server 40 for the contents that are usable bythe user of the portable terminal. The distribution server 60 prepares acontent information list enumerating the contents usable for the user inquestion, and returns the content information list to the portableterminal 10 through the portable communication terminal 12.

Upon receipt of the content information list on the portable terminal 10through the wireless communication unit 408, the content informationmanagement unit 412 stores the received list into the contentinformation storage unit 413. At the same time, the display control unit404 commands the display unit 405 to display the received contentinformation list.

The user views the content information list on the display unit 405. Byoperating the operation panel 407, the user may select a desired contentfrom those listed in the displayed content information list on thedisplay unit 405.

In response to the selecting operation conducted by the user, thedigital signature generation unit 416 generates a digital signatureincluding a content ID (held in the content information storage unit413) of the selected content and the user ID (stored in the user IDstorage unit 415). The streaming data request signal generation unit 422generates a streaming data request signal to which the digital signaturethus generated is attached, and sends the request signal to thedistribution server 60 through the portable communication terminal 12.

On receiving the streaming data request signal, the distribution server60 authenticates the digital signature attached to the request signalbefore searching the content database (not shown) of the content server40 for the requested content, using the content ID and user ID in therequest signal as search keys. The distribution server 60 thendistributes streaming data of the requested content to the requestingportable terminal 10.

On the portable terminal 10, the streaming data reception unit 409receives the streaming data through the portable communication terminal12 and wireless communication unit 408. The streaming data thus receivedare buffered by the buffering unit 410 at least for a predeterminednumber of bytes before being forwarded to the decoding unit 411. Afterdecoded by the decoding unit 411, the streaming data are sent to thedisplay unit 405 for motion picture display output (real-timereproduction).

Described below with reference to FIG. 7 are the steps performed by theuser of a portable terminal A to designate a user of a portable terminalB permitted to try out a certain content usable on the portable terminalA. In this case, it is assumed that the portable terminals A and B eachhave the same structure as that in FIG. 3.

By operating the operation panel 107, the user of the portable terminalA first selects a trial-permitted user change command from a menudisplayed on the display unit 407.

In response to the selecting operation conducted by the user, thetrial-permitted user management unit 417 sends a user informationrequest through the wireless communication unit 408. When userinformation is received in turn from the portable terminal B through thewireless communication unit 408, the display control unit 404 causes thedisplay unit 405 to display a list of communicable users. A connectionbetween the portable terminals is established after they have exchangedtheir user ID's.

The user of the portable terminal A may select a user permitted forcontent trial by operating the operation panel 407 through the displayunit 405 showing the communicable user list.

In response to the selecting operation conducted by the user; thetrial-permitted user management unit 417 stores information about theuser in question into the trial-permitted user storage unit 418. Whenthe trial permission information sending control unit 419 acquires theuser ID of a given communicable portable terminal, the trial-permitteduser management unit 417 checks to see if that user ID is already storedin the trial-permitted user storage unit 418. If the user ID is found tobe held in the storage unit 418, the trial-permitted user managementunit 417 sends trial permission information to the applicable portableterminal.

After the trial permission information is sent to the portable terminalwhose user is asked to try out the content, the terminal-to-terminalconnection is disconnected, and the processing as a whole is brought toan end.

Described below with reference to FIG. 8 is the steps performed by theuser of a portable terminal A to permit the user of a portable terminalB to try out a given content usable on the terminal A, as well as thesteps carried out by the user of the portable terminal B to request thetrial of the content from the distribution server 60 upon receipt oftrial permission information from the portable terminal A, as well assteps to purchase the content thus tried out by the user of the terminalB from the distribution server. It is assumed that the portableterminals A and B each have the same structure as that in FIG. 3.

A connection is first established between the portable terminals A and Bfollowing execution of predetermined steps such as exchanges of userIDs. Upon receipt of trial permission information from the portableterminal A through the wireless communication unit 408, the trialpermission information reception control unit 420 of the portableterminal B stores the received information temporarily into the trialpermission information storage unit 421.

Through a menu displayed on the display unit 405, the user of theportable terminal B may operate the operation panel 407 to select acontent information acquisition command for acquiring the contentpermitted for trial.

In response to the selecting operation conducted by the user, thedigital signature generation unit 416 in the portable terminal Bgenerates a digital signature including both the trial permissioninformation held in the trial permission information storage unit 421and the user ID stored in the user ID storage unit 415. The contentinformation management unit 412 generates a content information requestsignal to which the digital signature thus generated is attached, andsends the request signal to the distribution server 60 through theportable communication terminal 12.

Upon receiving the content information request signal containing thetrial permission information from the portable terminal B, thedistribution server 60 authenticates the digital signature attached tothe content information request signal as well as the digital signaturein the trial permission information included in the content informationrequest signal. After the authentication, the distribution server 60searches the content database (not shown) of the content server 40 forthe content information about the contents that are available for theuser who has sent the trial permission information. The retrievedcontent information is returned to the portable terminal B through theportable communication terminal 12.

Upon receipt of the content information about the content to be triedout through the portable communication terminal 12, the contentinformation management unit 412 in the portable terminal B stores thereceived information into the content information storage unit 413. Ifthe trial-permitted content has not been purchased yet by the user ofthe portable terminal B, a record of the content information in questionincludes a flag indicating that the content is intended for trial.

The display control unit 404 then causes the display unit 405 to displaythe content information about the content of interest. Through a menushown on the display unit 405, the user may operate the operation panel407 to select a trial command.

In response to the selecting operation conducted by the user, thedigital signature generation unit 416 generates a digital signaturebased on both the trial permission information held in the trialpermission information storage unit 421 and the user ID stored in theuser ID storage unit 415. The streaming data request signal generationunit 423 generates a streaming data request signal including the digitalsignature thus generated, and sends the request signal to thedistribution server 60 through the portable communication terminal 12.

Upon receipt of the streaming data request signal from the portableterminal B, the distribution server 60 authenticates the digitalsignature in the streaming data request signal as well as the digitalsignature included in the trial permission information in the requestsignal. After these authentications, the distribution server 60 searchesthe content database (not shown) of the content server 40 for therequested content, using the user ID and content ID in the trialpermission information as search keys.

The distribution server 60 then sends low-quality streaming data of thecontent in question to the requesting portable terminal B.

On receiving the low-quality streaming data of the for-trial content,the portable terminal B reproduces the content in the same manner asusual contents.

The user of the portable terminal B may select a command for thepurchase of the for-trial content by operating the operation panel 407through a menu displayed on the display unit 405.

In response to the selecting operation conducted by the user, thedigital signature generation unit 416 generates a digital signatureincluding the content ID of the content to be tried out and the user IDstored in the user ID storage unit 415. The content purchase requestsignal generation unit 423 generates a content purchase request signalto which the digital signature thus generated is attached, and sends therequest signal to the distribution server 60 through the portablecommunication terminal 12.

Upon receipt of the content purchase request signal from the portableterminal B, the distribution server 60 authenticates the attacheddigital signature. Then based on the user ID and content ID in thecontent purchase request signal, the distribution server 60 adds arecord of the user in question to the content server 40 as a userallowed to use the content of interest.

The distribution server 60 proceeds to acquire relevant contentinformation (billing information, etc.) from the content database (notshown) of the content server 40, and sends transaction informationcontaining the user ID and the content information to the electronicsettlement server 70.

In keeping with the received transaction information, the electronicsettlement server 70 handles billing including updates of an accountingsettlement database. The electronic settlement server 70 is furnishedwith the accounting settlement database that stores electronicsettlement transactions regarding content purchases, and for example,settles the billings of individual client terminals by means of theelectronic money. Alternatively, the electronic settlement server 70 mayhave respective numbers of credit card, cash card, and/or debit cardregistered as part of user information about the users of individualclient terminals, and may also cooperate with other financialinstitutions in dealing with credit or debit card settlements.

After the billing process is completed by the electronic settlementserver 70, the distribution server 60 returns a content purchaseacknowledge signal to the requesting portable terminal B. On theportable terminal B, a content purchase acknowledgment may be displayedon the display unit 405.

Once the content purchase process completed, the content in questionwill be also available on the portable terminal B. Specifically, theuser of the portable terminal B may request the applicable streamingdata from the distribution server 60 for real-time content reproductionby following the steps similar to those described above with referenceto FIG. 5.

Third Embodiment

FIG. 4 depicts another typical structure of the portable terminal 10acting as a content receiving client of the streaming distributionsystem 1 according to the present invention. The portable terminal 10 inFIG. 4 is not equipped with an ID card retaining authenticationinformation. Instead, the portable terminal 10 is designed to usebiometric information as personal authentication information, thebiometric information being acquired by biometric sensors, to bedescribed later.

The entire performance of the portable terminal 10 is controlled by acontrol unit 601. The control unit 601 includes a RAM (random accessmemory) 602 and a ROM (read only memory) 603. The RAM 602 may serve asan area in which to retain loaded programs and work data. The ROM 603permanently stores program codes and other data. The control unit 601 isconnected to various functional units shown in the figure, in order tocontrol these units.

A display control unit 604 is connected to a display unit 605. Thecontrol unit 604 controls driving of displays on the display unit 605.

An operation detection unit 628 is connected to an operation panel 629.As such, the detection unit 628 detects input operations performed bythe user on the operation panel 629. The display unit 605 and operationpanel 629 configure the user interface of the portable terminal 10.

A network connection unit 606 is connected with a network such as theInternet 20, and communicates with the distribution server 60 over thenetwork.

A streaming data reception unit 607 receives streaming data from thedistribution server 60 through the network connection unit 606. Abuffering unit 608 temporarily buffers the streaming data beingreceived. A decoding unit 609 decodes the encoded streaming data. Thedecoded data are converted to an analog signal by a D/A conversion unit610 before being sent to an audio output unit 611 for audio output(real-time reproduction).

A content information management unit 612 sends a content informationrequest signal to the distribution server 60 through the networkconnection unit 606. The management unit 612 receives contentinformation via the network connection unit 606 and stores the receivedinformation into a content information storage unit 613. The contentinformation storage unit 613 holds at least one record with fieldsincluding a content ID, a content name, explanation of the content, andetc.

The biometric sensors 614 read biometric information about the user ofthe portable terminal 10. The biometric information refers to physicalinformation uniquely identifying each user, such as the fingerprint,iris pattern, iris code, venous pattern, voice print, facial pattern,handwriting, etc., read from or yielded by the user's body.

A personal authentication unit 615 verifies the biometric informationread by biometric sensors 614 with previously stored biometricinformation in a biometric information storage unit 630. If those twosets of information are judged to be derived from the same person, adigital signature generation unit 616 (to be described later) is orderedto cancel its functional restrictions.

A wireless communication unit 617 can establish a terminal-to-terminalconnection with another user's portable terminal using suchshort-distance wireless communication means as IEEE802.11, Bluetooth, orinfrared communication (IrDA) arrangements.

The digital signature generation unit 616 generates a digital signatureto be attached to data, by means of an encryption key held in anencryption key storage unit 618 only when the identity of the user isauthenticated successfully by the personal authentication unit 615.

A connected user management unit 619 stores into a user ID storage unit620 information about the users of portable terminals that arecommunicable through the wireless communication unit 617. The managementunit 619 updates the user information in the user ID storage unit 620 asneeded.

A content sending control unit 621 sends through the wirelesscommunication unit 617 streaming data and content information about thecontent being reproduced on another portable terminal.

A content reception control unit 622 receives streaming data and contentinformation about the content sent from another portable terminalthrough the wireless communication unit 617.

A streaming data request signal generation unit 523 generates astreaming data request signal for requesting the content desired to bereproduced oh the portable terminal 10, and sends the request signal tothe distribution server 60 through the network connection unit 606. Thestreaming data request signal includes both a content ID held in thecontent information storage unit 613 and a user ID stored in a user IDstorage unit 626, and a digital signature generated by the digitalsignature generation unit 616 is attached to the request signal.

An electronic money management unit 624 manages the electronic moneyretained in an electronic money storage unit 625.

A content purchase request signal generation unit 627 generates a signalfor requesting the purchase of the content for trial, and sends therequest signal together with electronic money to the distribution server60 through the network connection unit 606. The content purchase requestsignal includes the user ID stored in the user ID storage unit 626, aswell as the content ID included in the content information received fromanother portable terminal 10.

The function of portable terminal 10 shown in FIG. 4 will now bedescribed. Personal authentication based on biometrics is carried out asfollows: when the biometric sensors 614 detect biometric information onthe user, the personal authentication unit 615 verifies the detectedbiometric information (fingerprint, iris pattern, iris code, venouspattern, voice print, facial pattern, handwriting, etc.) with thebiometric information stored beforehand in the biometric informationstorage unit 630. If those two sets of information are judged to bederived from the same person, the digital signature generation unit 616is ordered to cancel its functional restrictions.

Described below are the steps performed by the user receiving a contentthat is usable (i.e., purchased) on his or her portable terminal andreproducing the received content. The processes for receiving andreproducing contents are similar to the steps in the schematic flowdiagram of FIG. 5.

By operating the operation panel 629, the user first selects a contentinformation acquisition command from a menu displayed on the displayunit 605.

In response to the selecting operation conducted by the user, thecontent information management unit 612 generates a content informationrequest signal including the user ID stored in the user ID storage unit626. The request signal, to which a digital signature generated by thedigital signature generation unit 616 is also attached, is sent to thedistribution server 60 through the network connection unit 606.

The distribution server 60 authenticates the digital signature attachedto the content information request signal. After the authentication, thedistribution server 60 searches the content database (not shown) of thecontent server 40 for the contents that are usable by the user of theportable terminal 10, using the user ID in the content informationrequest signal as a search key. A content information list enumeratingthe contents judged usable is returned to the portable terminal 10 overthe network.

Upon receipt of the content information list through the networkconnection unit 606, the content information management unit 612 in theportable terminal 10 stores the received content information into thecontent information storage unit 613. At the same time, the displaycontrol unit 604 commands the display unit 605 to display the contentinformation list. The user may select a desired content from the contentlist on the display unit 605 by operating the operation panel 629.

In response to the selecting operation conducted by the user, thestreaming data request signal generation unit 623 generates a streamingdata request signal and sends the generated signal to the distributionserver 60 through the network connection unit 606. The streaming datarequest signal includes a content ID (held in the content informationstorage unit 613) of the content in question and the user ID (stored inthe user ID storage unit 625). A digital signature generated in thedigital signature generation unit 616 is attached to the request signal.

Upon receipt of the streaming data request signal, the distributionserver 60 authenticates the digital signature attached to the requestsignal. After the authentication, the distribution server 60 searchesthe content database (not shown) of the content server 40 for theapplicable content using the content ID and user ID in the streamingdata request signal as search keys. The distribution server 60 sendsstreaming data configuring the content in question to the requestingportable terminal 10.

The streaming data are received via the network connection unit 606 bythe streaming data reception unit 607 in the portable terminal 10. Thereceived streaming data are buffered by the buffering unit 608 at leastfor a predetermined number of bytes before being forwarded to thedecoding unit 609. After decoded by the decoding unit 609, the streamingdata are converted to an analog signal by the D/A conversion unit 610for external output (real-time reproduction) from the audio output unit611.

Described below with reference to FIG. 9 are the steps performed by theuser of a portable terminal A to permit the user of a portable terminalB to try out a given content usable on the terminal A, as well as thesteps carried out by the user of the portable terminal B to request thetrial of the content from the distribution server 60 upon receipt oftrial permission information from the portable terminal A as well assteps for purchasing the content thus tried out. It is assumed that theportable terminals A and B each have the same structure as that in FIG.4.

The user of the portable terminal a sends a user information requestsignal through the wireless communication unit 617 to the portableterminal B whose user is asked to try out certain content. On receivingthe user information request signal, the portable terminal B returnsuser information to the requesting portable terminal A.

The user of the portable terminal A selects a trial permission commandby operating the operation panel 629. Selection of the command causesthe display unit 605 to display a list of communicable users managed bythe connected user management unit 620. From the user list thusdisplayed, the user of the portable terminal A may select the userpreferred for content trial.

Once an acknowledge command is input, both streaming data and contentinformation about the content being reproduced are sent to the preferreduser's portable terminal B. It is assumed here that a connection hasbeen established between the portable terminals A and B.

Upon receipt of the streaming data and content information from theportable terminal A through the wireless communication unit 617, thecontent reception control unit 622 of the portable terminal B stores thereceived streaming data and content information temporarily into thecontent information storage unit 613.

By operating the operation panel 629, the user then selects a contentinformation display command about the content to be tried out. Selectingthe display command commands the display control unit 604 to display onthe display unit 605 such data as the name and price of the for-trialcontent based on the content information held in the content informationstorage unit 613.

When the user operates the operation panel 629 to select a trial commandfrom a menu displayed on the display unit 605, the received streamingdata are buffered by the buffering unit 608 at least for a predeterminedamount. The buffered data are fed through the decoding unit 609 and D/Aconversion unit 610 before being forwarded to the audio output unit 611for audio output (real-time reproduction).

After trying out the content, the user of the portable terminal B mayoperate the operation panel 629 to select a command for the purchase ofthe content in question.

In response to the selection of the purchase command, the display unit605 displays an acknowledgment screen describing the name, price andother specifics of the content of interest.

In reply to an acknowledge command selected by the user, the contentpurchase request signal generation unit 627 generates a content purchaserequest signal, and sends the generated signal together with electronicmoney to the distribution server 60 through the network connection unit606, the amount of money being equivalent to the content fee held in thecontent information storage unit 613. The content purchase requestsignal includes the content ID retained in the content informationstorage unit 613 as well as the user ID stored in the user ID storageunit 626. A digital signature generated in the digital signaturegeneration unit 616 is attached to the content purchase request signalbound for the distribution server 60.

On receiving the content purchase request signal and electronic money,the distribution server 60 authenticates the digital signature, checksif the electronic money is valid, and further verifies that the amountof the transferred electronic money matches the content fee stored inthe content database (not shown) of the content server 40. Then based onthe user ID and content ID in the content purchase request signal, thedistribution server 60 adds a record of the user in question to thecontent server 40 as a user allowed to use the content of interest.

The distribution server 60 proceeds to send transaction data includingthe user ID and electronic money to the electronic settlement server 70.

In keeping with the received transaction information, the electronicsettlement server 70 handles billings including updates of theaccounting settlement database. The electronic settlement server 70 isfurnished with the accounting settlement database that stores electronicsettlement transactions regarding content purchases, and for example,settles the billings of individual client terminals using electronicmoney. Alternatively, the electronic settlement server 70 may haverespective numbers of credit card, cash card, and/or debit cardregistered as part of user information about the users of individualclient terminals. The settlement server 70 may then cooperate with otherfinancial institutions in dealing with credit or debit card settlements.

After the billing process is completed by the electronic settlementserver 70, the distribution server 60 returns a content purchaseacknowledge signal to the requesting portable terminal B. On theportable terminal B, a content purchase acknowledgment may be displayedon the display unit 405.

When the content purchase process completed, the content in questionwill be available on the portable terminal B. Specifically, the user ofthe portable terminal B may request the applicable streaming data fromthe distribution server 60 for real-time content reproduction byfollowing the steps similar to those described above with reference toFIG. 5.

With the above-described embodiments of the present invention, thecontent availability is managed per respective user through personalauthentication. Alternatively, the distribution server may authenticateindividual client terminals so as to let the content availability bemanaged regarding each terminal.

The distribution of contents by means of streaming technology under theinventive system described above has just shown, however, this is notlimitative. Alternatively, content data may be distributed freely inencoded form while an access right management server is set up todistribute access rights describing the specific conditions for accessto the distributed contents. Upon request from a given client in thatsetup, the access right management server distributes access rightinformation bound for the client or for its user. The access rightinformation carries an applicable user ID or client ID together with adigital signature of the management server. The access right managementserver proceeds to charge the client or its user for the content to beaccessed based on the distributed right. The client authenticates theuse conditions included in the access right information and, dependingon the result of the authentication, decodes and reproduces theencrypted content using an encryption key distributed along with orprior to the access right information distributed. Where access to thecontents is managed in this manner, trial permission information may beissued in the same format as the access right information.

Addendum

It is to be understood that while the present invention has beendescribed in conjunction with specific embodiments, it is evident thatmany alternatives, modifications and variations will become apparent tothose skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description.Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention embrace all suchalternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, the present invention provides a contentdistribution system, a content distribution method, and a clientterminal whereby contents that can be used on a given user terminal maybe recommended to a user of another terminal.

The present invention also provides a content distribution system, acontent distribution method, and a client terminal whereby contents thatcan be used on a given user terminal may be tried out on another userterminal while the copyrights of the contents in question are suitablyprotected. Accordingly, it is easy for any user to recommend a preferredcontent to another user on a person-to-person basis without infringingon content copyrights.

The present invention also provides a content distribution system, acontent distribution method, and a client terminal whereby the contenttried out on recommendation from another user may be purchased on thespot without recourse to the elaborate steps for searching the contentin question. The inventive setup gives content providers moreopportunities to deliver or distribute their contents in addition tomarketing content-carrying media and offering content distributionservices at websites. The contents can thus be marketed efficiently byword of mouth between friends and acquaintances, whereby the businessesinvolved in producing, marketing, distributing and delivering contentscan be promoted significantly.

1-16. (canceled)
 17. A content distribution system for distributingcontents over a network, comprising: a distribution server for givingpermission to use contents; and a plurality of client terminals forreproducing distributed contents; wherein: any one of said clientterminals, in possession of content trial permission information forpermitting the another client terminal in question to use contents,offers the information to another client terminal, any one of saidclient terminals further receiving said content trial permissioninformation from another client terminal so as to reproduce the contentscorresponding to the received information; and the distribution serverpermits the use of contents in response to a request for the contentsfrom any one of said client terminals.